Military of São Tomé and Príncipe

The Armed Forces of São Tomé e Príncipe (FASTP, Forças Armadas de São Tomé e Príncipe in Portuguese) are the armed forces of the island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe, off the coast of West Africa.

The FASTP are very small military, consisting of four branches: Army (Exército), Coast Guard (Guarda Costeira also called "Navy"), Presidential Guard (Guarda Presidencial), and the National Guard. In the 2005 fiscal year, military expenditures were $581,729, about 0.8% of São Tomé and Príncipe's gross domestic product.

A 2004 estimate put military manpower availability (males age 15-49) at 38,347, with a "fit for military service" estimate of 20,188.

Capabilities

São Tomé and Príncipe's army is a tiny force with almost no resources at its disposal and would be wholly ineffective operating unilaterally. Infantry equipment is considered simple to operate and maintain but may require refurbishment or replacement after 25 years in tropical climates. Poor pay, working conditions, and alleged nepotism in the promotion of officers have been problems in the past, as reflected in the 1995 and 2003 coups.[1]

These issues are being addressed with foreign assistance aimed at improving the army and its focus on realistic security concerns. Command is exercised from the president, through the Minister of Defense, to the Chief of the Armed Forces staff (2005).[2]

Equipments

Weapons

Anti Aircraft artillery

Anti Armor Weapon

Armoured Vehicles

Utility Vehicles

Other

Coast Guard

Sao Tome has an exclusive economic zone of 142,563 square kilometers, and a coast guard consisting of fifty volunteers and two inflatable Zodiac boats.[8] The United States provides occasional assistance. In July 2005, USCGC Bear, under the command of then-Commander Robert Wagner, visited and conducted training sessions for the coast guard. In March 2016, the Military Sealift Command-contracted cargo ship CEC Endeavor delivered construction equipment to São Tomé which will be used over the next few months by Navy Seabees deployed to the region, members of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 and Underwater Construction Team One, to renovate the boat ramp for the Santomean coast guard base (currently the only boat ramp is unable to launch patrol boats due to erosion and shallow slope into the water) as well as to build a guard house for the base.

References

  1. ↑ "The World Factbook". Cia.gov. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  2. ↑ "The World Factbook". Cia.gov. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  3. ↑ "África 21 Online". Africa21online.com. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  4. ↑ "São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe / STP: sailors of the coast guard / marinheiros da guarda costeira - photo by M.Torres - Travel-Images.com". Travel-images.com. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "ForumDefesa.com". Forumdefesa.com. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe / STP: funeral with military honours on the waterfront avenue / funeral com honras militares - poetisa subversiva Alda do Espírito Santo - camião aberto Mercedes - Avenida Maginal 12 de Julho, antiga av. Barão de Agua Izé - photo by M.Torres - Travel-Images.com". Travel-images.com. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  7. ↑ "São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe / STP: army band on the back of a Daihatsu Delta truck - waterfront avenue / banda militar num camião Daihatsu Delta - Avenida Maginal 12 de Julho, antiga av. Barão de Agua Izé - photo by M.Torres - Travel-Images.com". Travel-images.com. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  8. ↑ http://www.defenddemocracy.org/media-hit/saeo-tome-and-principe-an-african-exception/
  9. ↑ Super User. "Defesa". Defesa.gov.bz. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  10. ↑ "Brasil doa embarcações para São Tomé e Príncipe". Poder Naval - Marinha de Guerra, Tecnologia Militar Naval e Marinha Mercante. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  11. ↑ "Guarda Costeira recebe mais uma embarcação de patrulha". Telanon.info. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  12. ↑ "Military Photos". Militaryphotos.net. Retrieved 23 October 2014.


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